District



4 Sheets-Sheetl. J. W. DAVIS.

(No Model.)

SEMAPHORE.

No. 520,756. Patented May 29, 1894.

Attorney.

ms NATIONAL LITHOERAFHING cnMPANv.

wAsHm (Nb Modem 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. W. DAVIS. SEMAPHORE.

No. 520,756. Patented May 29, 1894.

NVHnesses:

W L x. QM

Inventor.

: MM W Attorne THE mmomu. LITHDGRAPHKNG COMPANY. WASHINGTON. u. c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. W. DAVIS.

SBMAPHORE.

(No Model.)

No. 520,756 Patented May ZQ, 1894.

Witnesses:

Attorney.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

J. W. DAVIS.

SEMAPHORE.

Inventor.

Attorney me Human. umoarupmue cournmv.

WABHXNGTON. u. c.

Nrrnn STATES ATENT GFFICE.

JOHN WV. DAVIS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SEMAPHORE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,756, dated May 29,1894. 7

Application filed March 2, 1894. Serial No. 502 ,023- (No model.) I

.To whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in spelled out or in accordance witha code made up of letters Orfigures, and at night by the same means orby a code necessitating the display of different-colored lights.

The invention will first be described in connection with theaccompanying drawings, and then pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a front elevation of the apparatus, all ofthe parts being 1n the r normal positions. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation ofthe apparatus, the dotted lines showing the positions assumed by thesomaphore-arms to indicate letters or figures. Fig. 3 IS a verticalsectional view of the apparatus With the parts in their normalpositions, but omitting the bulls-eyes from the reflectors carried bythe arms. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal sectional detail view, showing thearrangement of the different colored glasses. Fig. 5 1s a verticalsectional detail view, showing the operation of the different-coloredglasses. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional detail View of one of thesemaphore-arms, illustrating the reflector and the hinged bulls-eye.Fig. 7 is a detail plan view showing the means for holding thecrank-handles in any position in which they are set on the dials. Fig. 8is a rear elevation, partly in section, of a modified form of frame, inwhich the side or horizontal wings are adapted to fold downward.

Referring to Fig. 1, which represents what I term the front or nightside of the apparatus, (as this side is turned toward the ship beingsignaled at night,) A represents a turntable, on which the apparatus isrevolubly mounted, said turn-table having a central socket a for thereception of a loosely-fitting stud b rigidly secured to the bottom ofthe apparatus.

The framework of the semaphore comprises a base B, a stem 0, a disk D,two horizon tal wings E E and a vertical wing F, all these wingsradiating from the disk and having circular enlargements at their outerends. This framework is hollow and contains the operating mechanisms, asseen in Fig. 3. On the disk D and on the outer ends of each wing E E Frespectively, is secured a box G, in each of which there is a reflector11,

within which there is any suitable light, preferably a group of electricincandescent lamps 12. In front of the reflector the box is providedwith a series of vertical guide-strips 13, between which are placeddifferent-colored glasses, as red 14:, green 15, and blue 16, allcapable of being elevated above the plane of the reflector, as seen inFig. 5. These glasses are raised above and lowered in front of the'reflector by means of levers 17, 18, 19, to which latter the glasses arerespectively connected in any suitable manner, the levers being pivotedon a bracket 20, and each having an operatingrod 21,in which,nearthelower end,is formed a loop 22 adapted to engage witha stud 23 on thebase of the framework, so asto hold its respect ive glass elevated. Thebox is provided on its front side with a door 9, in which, directly infront of the reflector, is set a bulls-eye 24. In the outer enlargedends of the respective semaphore wings are loosely journaled shafts 25,26, 27, on each of which there is a fixed sprocket-wheel 28. Theseshafts also carry the respective semaphore-arms H, I, J, fixedly securedthereon,the free ends of the arms being enlarged in the same manner asare the ends of the framework, for the reception on each arm of areflector-29 and a suitable light 30, preferably a group of electricincandescent lamps, as shown, each reflector being covered by abul'ls-eye 31, as seen in Fig. 6.

82, 33, and 34 are shafts passed through and revolubly mounted in thebase B of the framework, the first two being located in the samesidechains being each supported bya pair of rollers 37 revolubly mountedwithin disk D of the framework.

K, L, and M are three dials, mounted loosely on shafts 32, 83, and 34,respectively, outside of the base B. On the back of each dial is formeda ratchet-wheel 38, which is engaged by a pawl 39 pivoted to the base,as seen in Fig.7, this ratchet-and-pawl mechanism being designed to holdthe dial in any position in which it may be set. On these three dialstogether are marked all the letters of the alphabet except X Y Z, whichare marked on the front of base 13', for a purpose hereinafter stated.On dial K are placed the letters A B O D E F G, running from right toleft, with a blank 40 between the first and last letters. On dial L arethe letters H I J K L M N, running from left to right, with a blank 41between the first and last letters; and on dial M are the letters 0 P QR S T U V W, running from left to right, with a blank 42 between thefirst and last letters. On dial K, below and in radial alignment withletters B, D, and F, are marked, respectively, the numerals 1, 2, and 3;on dial L, in similar relation to letters I, K, and M, are the numerals4, 5, and G; and on dial M, in a like relation to letters U, S, and Q,are the numerals 7, 8, and 9, the letter O 011 this dial serving as thecipher.

On the respective shafts 32, 33, and 34, outside of the dials, areplaced crankhandles N, O, and P, each of which is provided with aspring-pin 43, adapted to enter anyone of the series of holes ll in thedial, so as to prevent the handle from being accidentally turned awayfrom the position in which it may be set.

w represents the wires connected with the various electric lamps on theapparatus, the electricity being derived from any suitable source.

As shown in Fig. 2, the rear side of the apparatus, which is used fortransmitting signals in daylight, is the same in construction as thefront side, with the exception that the lights and their appurtenancesare omitted and dials K and L are transposed, as is necessary in orderthat the similarly lettered dials may be on the same shaft.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modification of the framework of the semaphore,whereby the wings E E may be folded downward, if desired, when theapparatus is not in use. In this case the wings are hinged to the disk Dat 45; and on the upper edge ofeach wing there is pivoted at 46 one endof a rod l7, its other end being screw-threaded. When the wing iselevated this rod is placed in the bifurcated portion of a bracket 48,and held in place by a Washer 49 and a nut 50, as shown in full lines;and when the wingis down the arm is released from the bracket and turnedforward on the wing, as seen in dotted lines. In order to keep the twoside chains 36 taut during the movement of the wings, the shafts -2 and33 are mounted inboxes 51,hav ing V- shaped grooves in their ends, whichslide on correspondingly-shaped Ways 52 inside the base of theframework, these boxes work ng against the stress of coiled springs 53hearing on them. Two ropes 54, secured at one end to the disk D andpassed over rollers 55 and 56, journaled respectively on the wings andon the disk, serve to raise and lower the wings.

The operation of my signaling apparatusis as follows: Supposing it isdesired to send a communication from one ship to another at night. Inthat case the party who is to send the communication from his ship tothe other turns the semaphore so that the lights will be toward theother Ivcssel. He then calls the attention of the other party by raisingthe two side semaphore-arms to a vertical position, and shows whitelights on the wings and raised arms, this being done by raising all thecolored glasses. The party being signaled then turns his apparatus sothat the night side is toward the other vessel, and answers that he isready by repeating the attention signal, when the sender and receiverboth lower the semaphore-arms to their normal positions. It will beunderstood that each party operates his apparatus according to the dialson the day side, and also reads the signals by those dials. The senderthen transmits his communication either by spelling out words in full orin accordance with any prearranged code based on letters of the alphabetor numerals, by turning the crank-handles N, O, and I in line with thedesired letters or numerals on the respective dials, which causes thearms II I J to assume corresponding angles with respect to the wingsE' EF, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, these angles being made visible by thelights. As the letters X, Y, and Z are on the base, and not on thedials, the movement of two crank-handles to indicate each of theseletters is necessary, as follows: Handle N is moved to B and handle PtoQ to indicate X; handle 0 is moved to I and handle I to U to indicate Y;and handles N and O are moved to D and K respectively, to indicate Z. Asevidencing the fact that the receiver understands the signals he repeatsthem.

In case the sender desires to communicate by numerals instead ofletters, he announces this fact to the other party by lowering one ofthe arms only after giving the attention signal, the other arm remainingerect until answered by the receiver.

Should the sender wish to communicate by colored lights he gives noticeof this fact, after the attention signal has been given and answered, asabove described, by showing blue lights on the wings and on the disk,this latter being termed the field light. When the receiver responds tothis notice the sender then manipulates the various colored glasses onthe field and wing lights according to his code. If this be the merchantcode, the wing lights will represent the pennantsand the field light thefield.

In signaling in daylight the sender Simply turns the apparatus so thatthe day side will face the other vessel, and then gives the attentionsignal in the manner above indicated. The person signaled then turns hisapparatus so that the day side faces the sender, and responds to thesignal given him, after which the sender transmits his communication bymoving the semaphore-arms in accordance with the dials on the nightside, and the receiver reads and answers the angles of the arms by thesame set of dials.

It will be apparent that by turning the dials from their normalpositions represented in the drawings, the angles assumed by the armswill be caused to represent letters or numerals in a differentorder,this feature be ing useful in the use of secret codes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a semaphore signaling apparatus, the combination, with a framehaving a series of wings, of a series of arms journaled in" said wings,a series of dials bearing characters and operatively connected withsaid-arms, and mechanism for turning the arms and indicating theirangles. in accordance with the characters on the dials.

2. In a semaphore signaling apparatus, the combination, with a framehavinga series of wings, each provided with alight, of a series of armsjournaled in said wings, each of said arms bearing a light at its freeend, a series of dials bearing characters and operatively connected withsaid arms, and mechanism for turning said armsand indicating the anglesdescribed by their lights with respect to the wing lights in accordancewith the characters on the dials.

3. In a semaphore signaling apparatus, the combination, with a framehaving a series of wings, each provided on one side with a changeablelight, of a series of arms j ournaled in said wings, each arm providedwith a light on one side at its free end, a series of dials bearingcharacters and operatively connected with said arms, and mechanism forturning the arms and indicating the angles described by their lightswith respect to the wing lights in accordance with the characters on thedials.

4. In a signaling apparatus of the class described, the combination,with a frame having a disk, wings radiating from the disk, and lights onone side of the disk and wings, of a series of glasses of differentcolors arranged to slide in front of each of said lights, means foroperating said glasses, a series of arms journaled in the wings andprovided with lights on one side at their free ends, and mechanism forturning the arms to and holding them at any desired angle to the wings.

5. In a signaling apparatus of the class described, a hollow framecomprising a base, a stem, a disk on the stem, and wings radiating fromthe disk, in combination with shafts journaled in the wings and eachcarrying a fixed sprocket-wheel, arms fixed on the wing shafts,

a series of shafts journaled in the base, each 1oarryingafixedsprocket-wheel,crank-handles on the outer ends of eachbase shaft, and endless-chain connections between the sprocketwheels onthe base shafts and those on the wing shafts.

6. A reversible signaling apparatus, comprising a hollow frame having abase, a disk, and wings radiating from the disk, changeable field andwing lights on one side of the disk and wings respectively, shaftsjournaled in the wings and provided with fixed sprocketwheels, armsfixed on said shafts and bearing lights on one side, a series of dialsmarked with characters on each side of the base, a series of shaftspassed through the base and dials and each having afiXed sprocket-wheelwithin the base, crank-handles on the outer ends of the base shafts, andendless-chain connections between the wheels on the base shafts andthose on the wing shafts.

7. In a signaling apparatus such as described, a frame comprising abase, a stem rising from the base, a disk on the stem, and one verticaland two horizontal wings radiating from the disk, all of said wingscarrying arms journaled therein, the horizontal wings being hinged tothe disk in a manner to permit them to be folded down parallel with thestem, and means for holding the hinged wings elevated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

WM. HUNTER MYERS, DAVID W. GOULD.

ICO

